Can opening device



April l, 1958 L.. P. MGDANIEL. 2,828,884

CAN OPENING DEVICE Filed Deo. 1'7. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l FigiATT-clamav;

April 1, 1958 L. P. MCDANIEL. 2,828,884

CAN OPENING DEVICE 8 Filed Deo. 17. 1954 VI2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTO 2M EVSCAN OPENDIG DEWCE Leonard P. McDaniel, Marion, 1nd.

Application December 17, 1954, Serial No. 47 5,906

4 Claims. (Cl. 220-52) This invention relates to openers for cans, andmore particularly to a device for removing the tear-strip from a can,such as a vacuum packed coffee can, or similar can having a horizontaltear-strip located subjacent to the top rim of the can.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved keydevice for use in removing the tearstrip from a can, said key devicebeing able to be used repeatedly, being simple in construction, andeliminating the necessity of providing each can with its individual key.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved reusable keydevice for removing a horizontal tear-strip from a container, such as acoiee container, or the like, wherein the tear-strip is locatedsubjacent to the top rim of the can, said device being inexpensive tomanufacture, being durable in construction, being easy to use, and beingprovided with means for removing the coiled up tear-strip therefromwithout requiring the operator to touch the tear-strip at any time, thuspreventing the operator from cutting or scratching his hand by contactwith the tear-strip.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and claims, and from the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure l is a fragmentary top view of a container on which is engaged an-improved can opening device according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view or" the can opening device shown inFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross sectional View taken on the line 3 3 ofFigure 2.

Figure 4 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 4 4 ofFigure 2.

Figure 5 is a vertical cross sectional View similar to Figure 3 butshowing the shaft member of the device in elevated position and beingactuated to remove the coiled up tear-strip from the lower portionthereof.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of a modified form of can opening deviceaccording to the present invention.

Figure 7 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 7-7 ofFigure 6.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view showing thedevice of Figures 6 and 7 with its shaft member elevated to remove thecoiled up tear-strip from the lower end portion thereof.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures l to 5, oneform of can opening device according to the present invention isdesignated generally at 11. The device 11 comprises a main supportmember 12 which may be of suitable rigid material, such as metal,plastic, or the like, said main body 12 being formed at its outer endwith the handle portion 13, said handle portion having a top stiffeningflange 14, and being inclined outwardly from the intermediate portion ofthe body 12. The intermediate portion of the body 12 is formed with therelatively large horizontal flange 15 which is adapted to overlie andengage the upstanding rim portion 16 of a States Patent RCC conventionalcontainer 17. The body 12 is formed at its forward end with the inwardlyinclined curved container bearing portion 18 of substantial verticalheight adapted to engage beneath the rim 16 of the container to resistdownward rotation of the flange 15 around said rim, and is formed with ahorizontal, inwardly directed tab element 19 adapted to overlie thecontainer rim 16 and to slide therealong. The tab 19 is formed at itsinner corner portion with a depending triangular lug element 2t) whichis adapted to hook over the upstanding top rim 16 of the container andto guide the body 12 along the rirn of the containeras the container isrotated relative to the device 11, as will be presently described.

The intermediate portion of the flange 15 is formed with the verticalupstanding sleeve element 21 which has an internally threaded upper boreportion 22 reduced in diameter with respect to the lower bore portion 23thereof. Designated at 24 is a vertical shaft member which has anenlarged externally threaded intermediate portion 25 which is normallyreceived in the enlarged lower bore portion 23 of the sleeve 21 andwhich is freely rotatable therein. The lower portion of the shaft member2d extends through an aperture provided in the flange 15, said aperturebeing shown at 26 in Figure 3. As is D clearly shown in Figures 2, 3 and5, the lower end portion of the shaft 24 is provided with the verticalopenended slots 27 of substantial height.

As shown in Figure 4, the shaft member 24 is of tubular construction andthe slots 27 are arranged in respective pairs which are diametricallyopposed and which are spaced apart by equal angles, there being thusprovided four slots 27 spaced apart by angles of 90 around the axis ofthe shaft 24.

Secured to the top end of the shaft 24 is the horizontally extendinghandle bar 28 which is provided at its outer end with the knob 29` forrotating the bar 2S, and for hence rotating the shaft 24.

in using the device, the flange 15 and the tab 19 are engaged over thetop rim 16 of the can, the forward bearing portion 18 of the body 12being engaged against the wall of the can subjacent to the top rim 16thereof. The slotted lower end of the shaft 24 is engaged with the endtab 29 of the tear-strip, said tab 29 passing through a pair ofdiametrically opposed slots 27. The handle bar 28 is then rotatedclockwise, as viewed in Figure 1, the operator using one hand to holdthe handle portion 14 and using the other hand to grasp the knob 29 torotate the bar 28 clockwise. This causes the tearstrip to be coiled upon the lower end portion of the shaft 24, causing the container 17 to berotated as the tear-strip is coiled up, the process being continueduntil the tear-strip is completely removed from the container. At thispoint the shaft 24 is elevated to bring the externally threaded shaftportion 25 into threaded engagement with the internally threaded reducedbore portion 22, after which the shaft 24 is rotated, fas by means ofthe knob 29 to cause the shaft to be elevated in the sleeve 21 by thecooperating threaded engagement of the shaft portion 25 with the threadsin the upper bore portion 22. This raises the lower portion of the shaftand brings the coiled up tear-strip into abutment with the flange 15. Byelevating the shaft suiciently the coiled up tear-strip will be forcedolf the lower end of the shaft and may be dropped into a suitable wastereceptacle.

Referring now to the form of the invention shown in Figures 6 to 8, anddesignated generally at 11', the flange 15 has secured thereon thevertical upstanding sleeve 21 in which is disposed the vertical shaft24', the lower portion of the shaft extending through an apertureprovided in the intermediate portion of the flange 15. As in thepreviously described form of the invention, the

3 lower end portion of the shaft is provided with the vertical slots 27of substantial height and spaced apart 90 from each other around theaxis of the shaft.

The shaft 24 is provided with the enlarged plunger portion 30 which isengaged by the lower end of a coiled spring 31 surrounding the shaft 24and extending through the upper portion of the sleeve 21', the top endof the spring engaging an arm 32 which is rigidly secured to the top endof the sleeve 2l' and which extends a substantial distance laterallytherefrom, as is clearly shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8. The arm 32 isprovided at its outer end with the rounded upper corner portion 33,defining a fulcrum element for a purpose presently to be described.

Designated at 34, is a handle bar which is provided with the upstanding,inwardly convergent side flanges 3d, 35, said bar member 34 beingprovided at its inner end with a slot 35 located between the sideflanges 3S, 3S, as is clearly shown in Figure 6. The upper end portionof the shaft 24 extends through the slot 36 and is pivotally connectedto the anges 35, 35 by a tranverse pivot pin 37. The connecting pin 37provides a rigid connection between the bar 34 and the shaft 24 insofaras rotation of the shaft 24' is concerned, since by rotating the handlebar 34 `of the shaft, the shaft 24 will be positively rotated around itown axis. However, by employing the arm 32 as a bearing or support, thebar 34 may be utilized as a lever pivoted on the rounded fulcrum edge 33of the end of the bar 32, whereby the shaft 24 may be at times elevated,as shown in Figure 8.

In using the device of Figures 6l, 7 and 8, the body i2 is engaged witha can in the same manner as in the case of the device of Figures 1 to 5,and the slotted lower end portion of the shaft 24 is engaged with thetab at the end of the tear-strip. The handle bar 34 is then rotated, asby means of its knob 38, the operator using one hand to grasp the bodyhandle 14 and using the other hand to rotate the handle bar 34. As inthe previously described form of the invention, this causes thetear-strip to be coiled up on the lower end of the shaft 24. After thetear-strip has been thus detached from the can, the handle bar 34 ispivoted on the rounded edge 33 of the `arm 32 in the manner illustratedin Figure 8, whereby the coiled up tear-strip is brought into abutmentwith the flange i5, and whereby said tear-strip is forced olf of thelower end of the shaft 24', said shaft being elevated 'against thebiasing force of the coiled spring 31. After the tear-strip has beenremoved, the spring 31 forces the plunger element 3@ downwardly to itsnormal position, shown in Figure 7, returning the parts to their normalrelative positions.

While certain specific embodiments of an improved device for removing atear-strip from a container have been ydisclosed in the foregoingdescription, it will be understood that various modifications within thespirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art.Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the inventionexcept as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

Jhat is claimed is:

l. A device for removing a horizontal tear-strip from a containercomprising a horizontal plate-like support member engageable on the rimof the container above the tear-strip, a depending flange secured to aside margin of said support member and extending a substantial distanceforwardly thereof and being formed at its forward end with a vertical,curved bearing lug of substantial height, said bearing lug being formedand arranged to engage the side of the container subjacent its rim asubstantial distance forwardly of said support member and to resistdownward rotation of said support member around said rim, a hook-likemember on the forward end of said flange engageable over the containerrim, a vertical shaft member rotatably mounted on said support memberand being movable upwardly relative thereto, a handle secured to the topend of said shaft member, the lower end of said shaft member extendingbelow said support member and being formed with a vertical slotengageable with the end tab of the tear-strip, and means for elevatingsaid shaft member after the tear-strip has been wound thereon to bringthe coiled tear-strip into abutment with said support member anddisengage the coiled tear-strip from the shaft member.

2. A device for removing a horizontal tear-strip from a containercomprising a horizontal plate-like support member engageable on the rimof the container above the tear-strip, a depending ange secured to aside margin of said support member and extending a substantial distanceforwardly thereof and being formed at its forward end with a vertical,curved bearing lug of substantial height, said bearing lug being formedand arranged to engage the side of the container subjacent its rim asubstantial distance forwardly of said support member and to resistdownward rotation of said support member around said rim, a hook-likemember on the forward end of said ange engageable over the containerrim, a vertical bearing sleeve on said support member, a shaft memberrotatably mounted in said sleeve and being movable upwardly therein, ahandle secured to the top end of said shaft member, the lower end ofsaid shaft member extending below said support member and being formed,'it'n a vertical slot engageable with the end tab of the tear-strip,and means for elevating said shaft member after the tear-strip has beenWound thereon to bring the coiled tear-strip into abutment with saidsupport member and to disengage the coiled tear-strip from the shaftmember.

3. A device for removing a horizontal tear-strip from a containercomprising a horizontal plate-like support member engageable on the rimof the container above the tear-strip, a vertical bearing sleeve on saidsupport member, a shaft member extending vertically through said sleeveand having an enlarged portion rotatable in said sleeve and beingmovable upwardly therein, said enlarged portion being engageable againstsaid support member, a laterally extending handle secured to the top endof said shaft member, the lower end of said shaft member extending belowsaid support member and being formed with a vertical slot engageablewith the end tab of the tear-strip, a depending flange secured to a sidemargin of said support member and extending a substantial distanceforwardly thereof and being formed at its forward end with a vertical,curved bearing lug of substantial height, said bearing lug being formedand arranged to engage the side of the container subjacent its rim asubstantial distance forwardly of said support member and to resistdownward rotation of said support member around said rim, a hook-likemember on the forward end of said flange engageable over the containerrim forwardly of said shaft member, and means for elevating said shaftmember after the tear-strip has been wound thereon, to bring the coiledtear-strip into abutment with said support member and to disengage thecoiled tear-strip from the shaft member.

4. A device for removing a horizontal tear-strip from a containedcomprising a support member engageable on the rim of the container abovethe tear-strip, a vertical shaft member rotatably mounted on saidsupport member and being movable upwardly relative thereto, a handlesecured to the top end of said shaft member, the lower end of said shaftmember extending below said support member and being formed with avertical slot engageable with the end tab of the tear-strip, andinterengageable threads on said support member and shaft member, thethreads on the support member being normally located above the threadson the shaft member, and the shaft member being vertically movablesufficiently to interengage the threads, whereby to elevate the shaftmember vertically responsive to rotation thereof after the tear-striphas been wound thereon and to bring the coiled ber.

References Cited inlthe le of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS DazeyDec. 13, 1938 6 Reynolds June 9, 1942 Sebell Feb. 20, 1945 Lyle Aug. 25,1953 Johnson et al. Nov. 9, 1954 Reeves Nov. 8, 1955 Pollard Mar. 20,1956 Gehweiler Aug. 21, 1956

